White

I am joining the Friday Photo Challenge over at Chania's blog, RAZMATAZ . The assignment was to photograph something white to show how different it could look due to lighting, angles, texture, distance. Check out some of the stunning entries including Chania's!

I chose a white paper light that I purchased at IKEA several years ago.  It gives off a subtle accent light, but upon closer inspection, angles, lighting and distance the texture and appearance of the light changes dramatically.  No more words, just pictures.

  

Thanks Chania!

Happy Birthday to The Maven!

March 16 is an important day in the Boston household as it marks the birth of our very own Maven.

Long before The Bostons arrived, she blew in with a stiff March wind and our little family unit of three expanded to the perfect Fantastic Four.

She has taught us many life lessons, although she will modestly claim she has learned from us.

When I think of her the words that come to mind immediately are:

Happy

Resilient

Determined

Beautiful

So, this March 16th those are the words I will hear in this year's wind as the Maven turns 22.

Note on the Refrigerator

I thought I'd share this funny forward I received via email last week.  I've added some pictures, some mine, some not.

Dear Dogs and Cats:

The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food.

Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the bottom is not the object.

Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort, however.

Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered.

Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine/feline attendance is not required.

Love,

Your Momma, humble servant.

And, just because it's funny...

                                          Hoping to link to Angela's Tuesday Show and Tail!                        


P.S. I have made a new friend in blogland!  She stopped by my blog about a week ago and read my post, It's More Than a Ring.  Shanae has a wonderful blog, Triumph and Tears,    that focuses on the positive, triumphant forces in life and asked if she could feature my post about Mr. Tennis and my ring.  Please stop by and read some inspiring stories!  Thanks Shanae!      

My Nose and I......

....will be out of commision for a few days following some sinus surgery.

Probably won't be able to post, but it will be a good opportunity to catch up on blogland. (Mr. Tennis couldn't be talked into taking surgery pictures, I know a small number of you are disappointed)

Catch you all on the other side!

Isn't Nature Amazing?

While we were in St. Augustine a couple of weeks ago (seems like ages now!) we found some interesting creatures washed up on the beach.

Jellyfish.
 I've seen many kinds in my years on Florida beaches, but these were not any I had seen before.  A helpful local said that something had chewed off their tentacles, thus rendering them helpless and the beaching was the result. 

Thought you'd like a picture of the Bostons strolling in the surf!  They had the best time.

Picture credits go to Mr. Tennis and his amazing iphone.

And here is some footage of two happy dogs (one in particular) running to their hearts content on a lovely beach in St. Augustine:

Linking to Angela for this week's Tuesday's Show and Tail!, Check out all the other great posts!

Guess Who's Here for Spring Break.....

Yep, her. Miss Darcy. 

Don't let her little sleeping, precious-posturing fool you. 

You know these pictures were taken after a full day of Spring Break - Darcy style.

More on that to come.

Sadie, out.

It's More Than a Ring

Chania at RAZAMATAZ has graciously begun hosting Friday photo challenges again.  This week the subject matter is Jewelry.

I'm not much of a jewelry person and don't own a lot of it, but I have one piece in particular that is most meaningful to me for many reasons.

#1

It's my engagement ring.

#2

It's not my original engagement ring.  The diamond fell out of my original ring after we had been married about five years.  I was devastated and sure Mr. Tennis, my husband, would be pretty upset too.

#3

Well, anyone who knows him knows he doesn't get upset, he just gets things done.

#4

He surprised me by resetting my paternal grandmother's engagement ring that had been left to me.  It was in a very unattractive setting that did not show off the beauty of the diamond.  When he took it to a jeweler to be reset, the jeweler was surprised at the superior quality of the diamond and said it must have come from Europe around the turn of the century.  Indeed it did.  My grandfather brought that ring over to the United States from Scotland to give to his intended, my grandmother. Not sure of the exact date (bet my brother Mr. Connor knows!), but I estimate about 1910.

#5

It's not huge, splashy or extraordinary- except to me. It's part of my family history - pre-marriage and after.

#6

About 6 years ago I couldn't wear the ring because of arthritis in my ring finger.  My wedding ring had to be sawed off as did my engagement ring.  That made me feel just terrible.

#7

After a couple of years of listening to me fret about not having a ring to show I was married, Mr. Tennis again solved the problem.  A local jeweler devised an expander so the ring could be slipped over the enlarged knuckle joint.

#8

This month I will have been married to this man for thirty years.  Best thing I ever did. And this ring reminds me of that fact every day.

(I also realize I will never be a hand model, but wanted you to see the obstacle that was overcome - note to self: moisturize please)

Linking to the very talented Chania, please click here to view her wonderful blog.

Crikey! Look at all those Alligators!

Last week while we were in St. Augustine, Florida, Mr. Tennis and I took a few hours one afternoon and visited :

It has been awhile since I've been around so many different alligators and crocodiles.  And I was particularily glad they were behind glass or some other barrier.

Although it's always more thrilling to see these creatures in the wild, you never get quite the up-close experience you get at one of these farms.

Take a look at some of the different kinds of gators and crocs we saw during our visit:

This Albino Alligator is quite spectacular, isn't he (or she)?

This gator had captured a turtle for lunch.

The main distinguishing feature between and alligator and a crocodile is the snout. The gators' are more broad and the crocs' are longer and skinny.

Sometimes really skinny!

I got some footage of that gator trying to keep his "turtle catch" away from his mates.  Not too graphic, but not for the feight of heart either.  Those are not our voices on the tape, but they provided pretty good color commentary.

Linking to the week's  Tuesday's Show and Tail  over at Angela's blog!